Combines trading to a cat

we went to one combine and no regrets so far sounds like you farm in alberta hey 860s were and still are a great combine. but if you go to a cat 480r you better put on your seat belt.we had 2 2388s and the 480 relaced them double swathed barley canola wheat 42ft +ran a 30ft pull type in the same feild the 42ft in 60 bushel barley + wheat was just right for the cat 30ft wasn;t enough for it.we averaged 18acres per hour in barley + wheat and 22 per hour in canola 5.5 to 6.0 in 42ft in the 30ft swath 6.5 mph in canola. we had to double swath because we have bad hills on some of are land . but we purchased a 36ft honey bee draper header yesterday to run in the flater land and we will still double swath the hills .We dry some of our grain and the 480r goes the same speed dry or tough but the nice thing about it is less fuel + man power . hope this helped

If your buying new make sure it is one of the new "500" series lexions,you will not be disappointed with its performance.All other makes will eat your dust!!!

We had a MF 860 not a bad machine but 7yrs ago we got a lexion 450 270 hp it would do 2 times the out put.So a 480 or a new 580 would do 3 860 no trouble.We have just traded our 450 for a new 460 330 hp.Did 2000 mill hours in the 450 over 7 seasons it cost on ave $1700 on RandM per year.The MF 860 cost us $5800 per year.The cost to run the lexion 450 counting Interest on capital, R and M and real deprecation (purchase cost less trade value)was $26 per Ha ($10.5 per acre).we do 1970 acres per year.

lexion combines are very productive but being a custom harvester you have to think of more than that. I am guessing with your 860's you have 3 tandem trucks and combine trailers. If you do buy a combine of this size you will have to buy a Fith-wheel combine trailer and tractor just to haul it. I am a fan of lexion but you might consider the new Challenger, Massey, Gleaner combines. They will have more bang for your pound.(weight) the 2388 CNH is also a light machine. Just a thing to consider when haveing to haul that monster down the road.

hey big truck tell me something about all this big changes in the new 500 s if been at the claas dealership and the couldend say much about big changes.

wy you dont try the new 9860sts with the 12,5 liter engine. claas got a hard time to get along with the 9880s here in europe.

Have to agree with you I double swathed my canola in two 25' windrows put 50'through a 480 It just ate that up all day long. Also ran axial flows before and don't regret going to one big combine

I agree with you it is heavy. But to replace 3 860s you have to go with the big one. The other ones you mentioned are fine but the bottom line is your not getting ahead The amount of man power you will need is cut in half+fuel+getting them feild ready and half the stress.The amount of money you will save you can go buy your tracter+trialer to haul the 480+ park the tandems and get a grain cart and aset of super bs and away you go the initial cost will be staggering butwill pay in the long run.

Again I am a fan of the lexion combine. What kind of acers per hour are you getting with a lexion. You can get 18 - 22 acers per hour out of an class 7 rotor. (36ft draper average wheat 30-50bpa with out a grain cart.) I am just curious how much more you think you can get with a lexion with another 15,000 lbs of weight. I have never been around the lexion rotory seperation machines. I think they would be neck and neck. (class 7)

I would doubt it would do the acreage you are asking for. For you to do 8-9000 acres with 3 860's you are either getting a very early start to the season and run late into October, or you are in an area that usually harvests lower straw and grain yields of around 30-35 bushel per acre in wheat. If you do a good speed now in say a 25' cutting width, you would need to put in 50 to 60 feet of cut to cover the same amount of ground with one large machine. Most customers will not want this as the straw is not spread out very even behind the machine. If however you are going to the southern states and starting winter wheat harvest in june and working your way north you could probably get by with one large machine. Remember, with 3 machines when one is broke down you are still at 67% capacity, but on one big machine when it is broke you are at 0% capacity. Personally, I think that 2 machines would be a natural progression from the 3 you have.